


Happy Birthday, Reader! (Ver. Mammon)

by 900JarsOfNerdyJellyBeats



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:47:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26323639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/900JarsOfNerdyJellyBeats/pseuds/900JarsOfNerdyJellyBeats
Summary: Okay, this will be my first time ever posting fan fiction in my life. I have no idea how AO3 works. I don't know how normal fan fictions are supposed to function. But I guess I'll just...post it anyway!In regards to the content of the narrative, this is a story about what could happen when it's your birthday in the Devildom. One situation falls into another, and one of the brothers ends up admitting his feelings for you (hmmm, I wonder who).I wrote this before all the shenanigans of lesson 26 and it's meant to take place during your first year in the Devildom, so it's a bit out-dated. Also, your interactions are mainly with Mammon; I originally wrote this for a friend, so I catered to their personal preferences with the other interactions, so I'm sorry about that (especially if you don't like Asmo because there's a healthy amount of him in this story).With all that out of the way, sit back, relax, and (hopefully) enjoy the story!
Relationships: Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 25





	1. Part One

It was a surprisingly lively night in the Devildom; everyone seemed to be celebrating. Why, that is? Well, because it was your birthday! As the first human in the exchange program not to harbor much magic potential or general interest, you were certainly...unique. Constantly getting into trouble, gradually repairing the broken relationships between the seven brothers, you became quite the surprise, and an extraordinary one at that. The brothers, along with some angels and even the prince of the Devildom himself, eventually befriended you and you all became quite close. Since this was going to be your only year in the Devildom, a lavish birthday celebration for you seemed only natural. Perhaps it was a bit extravagant for someone like you, but everyone was so eager to show you just how much you meant to them that rejecting the idea was never an option. Even the evilest of hearts can be a vessel for generosity, gratitude, and affection (looking at you, Lucifer).

Anyway, that night, your celebration was being held at the demon lord’s castle. It was already breathtaking without all the elegant decorations and piles of presents, but these additions further emphasized its beauty. Somehow, the area felt much bigger than when you visited it the first few times, but you didn’t mind. Besides, you weren’t there to gawk at the royal castle, you were there to have fun!

Diavolo insisted that you sit at the head of the table for dinner since you were the guest of honor, so you did without protest. It warmed your heart to see everyone get along so well; the brothers were usually at each other’s throats for breakfast and dinner (especially that one time during the retreat when everyone was ready to murder one another with pillows), but you were surprised to see that only civil, lively conversations were taking place. The demons and angels were reminiscing about what had happened thus far on their journey with you; the TSL challenge (where Levi nearly murdered you), that one time Satan and Lucifer switched bodies (and Satan nearly murdered you and Lucifer with novels that were heavy enough to put you in a coma), when the seven brothers turned into animals due to Luke’s slip-up (and nearly all the brothers tried to murder you in their primal states), and countless other experiences that are far too long to recount in this story. I’m sure you know those tales quite well, anyway.

At one point, after appetizers were eaten and everyone teased Levi for how serious he was during the Ruri-chan movie screening, the group was quieted by the sound of a fork against a near-empty glass of Demonus. Everyone turned their heads in the direction of the sound to find Mammon standing from his seat. Shock silenced the jubilant conversations.

“Mammon, since when did _you_ give speeches that Lucifer didn’t force you into?” Levi questioned.

“Since when did you actually _give speeches_?” Asmo pressed further.

“Why do y’all make it sound like I can’t give a speech?” Mammon retorted. “I’m amazin' at it, so shut your mouths and let the Great Mammon do his thing!”

This one time, everyone actually obeyed Mammon. Spoiler alert: this would never happen again.

“Alright, now that I have your attention, I wanna dedicate this toast to my treas—I mean, the human.”

He gestured in your direction, a pink tinge beginning to spread on his face.

“Although we were all pretty certain [they]’d be basically useless when [they] first arrived—“

You rolled your eyes at that part.

“—[they] turned out to not be that. Sorta the opposite, actually.”

His pink cheeks were turning red now. Everyone seemed to notice. He cleared his throat loudly.

“L-look, all I wanna say is that you’re kinda cool, human. C-couldn’t imagine life here without ya. And I’m—I mean, _WE’RE_ all happy you were the one chosen for the exchange program.”

He finally raised his glass in the air, not looking at anyone anymore. Everyone else followed his lead and raised their glasses.

“Happy b-birthday, [Y/N].”

The rest of the group gave a big “Happy birthday, [Y/N]!” to you as Mammon sat down with a fully flushed face. They all took a sip of Demonus, except Mammon, who was staring into his glass.

“Mammon, that was the _sweetest_ thing you’ve ever said, and I’ve known you for eons!” Asmo commented. You swore Asmo’s eyes glistened with tears.

“I never took you as one to say sweet things,” Satan added snidely as he brought the glass to his lips.

“Hey! I can be a sweet guy!” Mammon defended, but to no avail. He was still blushing furiously. Levi didn’t even try to stifle an eye roll to that response. Haughty laughter was everyone else’s reply.

You gave a wry smile upon seeing how much everyone was enjoying themselves, but that was all you could give. You were extremely taken aback by Mammon’s hasty speech. It was quite rare for him to speak his mind, let alone with everyone else giving him his full attention. It almost seemed like he wanted to say more, but held back for one reason or another. None of that mattered, though; what mattered was that Mammon took a step in the right direction. A step toward being more honest with himself and others.

“I believe we have a surprise for the human. Don’t we, Diavolo?” Lucifer spoke while glancing expectantly at Diavolo.

“Oh, you’re right! I nearly forgot!” Diavolo said, leaning toward Barbatos and whispering something in his ear. Barbatos nodded and motioned for Luke to follow him. With excitement written all over his face, he disappeared with Barbatos into the kitchen. He looked especially like a child when he smiled like that.

“[Y/N],” Diavolo began, “we know how long you’ve been separated from the human world and wanted to do something a little extra for you.”

_‘Something a little extra...?’_ Before you had enough time to ponder what exactly he meant, Barbatos and Luke emerged from the kitchen, both rolling carts of covered plates next to the table and setting them down in front of everyone. Beel began drooling. A lot.

“I’m sure you noticed how some of the brothers asked you what you wanted to eat the most from the human world,” Diavolo continued, smiling at Beel, Levi, and Mammon.

You recalled the memories; Beel did at one point ask which food you missed most from the human world. You didn’t find anything special about the comment since it’s Beel asking about food. When Levi asked about food and drinks after showing you one of his favorite anime, you didn’t find anything odd about that, either, since he said he wanted to post about some of the interesting human foods on Devilgram. But when Mammon asked, you could tell something was up since he was notoriously awful at hiding things. At the time, you couldn’t tell why they all asked, but the pieces began clicking together in your mind. Did they really—?

“So, we all chipped in and made you what you missed the most,” Diavolo finished at last.

“By ‘we all chipped in,’ he really means that Barbatos and Luke did most of the leg-work,” Satan added.

“And I made sure to ban Solomon from entering the kitchen in that time,” Barbatos said, finally taking his seat.

“Don’t worry, I completely understand,” Solomon said. You sensed some bitterness in his voice, but it was overshadowed by feigned apathy.

“From what I recall, you looked quite disappointed when Barbatos restricted your access,” Simeon remarked, smiling in Solomon’s direction. Solomon didn’t give a response.

Anticipation surging through your fingertips, you took the cover off the plate to reveal...[your favorite dish]. It’s been months since you had eaten it, and you were craving it a few weeks into your stay in the Devildom (most likely a by-product of homesickness). They really went through all the trouble to make this for you...? Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes.

“Luke, did you forget the special beverage for [Y/N]?” Barbatos asked.

Luke’s eyes went wide. “Aaah, I completely forgot!”

He rushed back into the kitchen.

“We had to look up a bunch of tutorials on how to make this,” Belphie reminisced, “but we eventually got it down.”

“Even Beel helped cook with Barbatos and Luke. _BEEL_ ,” Asmo said.

“It was hard not eating the food when it was right in front of me,” Beel said, wiping some drool off his face, “but because it was for you, I found a way to restrain myself.”

“He did eat way too much of the ingredients, though. We’re lucky he didn’t get all of it,” Mammon added, looking as if he regained the composure he lost earlier.

Luke hastily emerged from the kitchen, holding a cup of something in his hands.

“Happy birthday, [Y/N]!” he announced, offering the cup to you.

It was [your favorite beverage], something else you had been craving since your departure from the human world. Okay, now you were practically crying. You missed these foods so much, and everyone decided to help get it for you for your birthday. You massaged the corners of your eyes, trying to hide the impending tears from everyone else as Luke also set cups of bubble tea in front of Asmo, Levi, Beel, Simeon, and Satan.

“These drinks are absolutely _divine_ ,” Asmo said, taking a happy sip. “I had no idea human beverages could taste so good!”

“Luke went through a lot of trouble crafting the drink,” Barbatos said. “He wanted to get it perfect just for you.”

“I hope it tastes good!” Luke added, beaming with pride and happiness.

You took a quick sip. It was perfect. _Everything_ was perfect.

“Are ya cryin’, [Y/N]?” Mammon asked, concerned. “D-did we do somethin’ wrong?”

You told them no, assuring them that everything was almost too good to be true.

“So...those aren’t out of sadness?” Satan asked.

“Of course not, silly. [Y/N]’s so overcome with joy that [they] simply cannot contain [themselves]!” Asmo clarified. Satan and Levi “ohhh”-ed in understanding. Asmo flashed a quick wink in your direction.

You nodded in agreement with Asmo, wanting to cry even more knowing he’d come to your aid.

“Well,” Diavolo interjected, “now is a better time than any. Dig in, everyone!”

Beel wasted no time consuming the dish whole and heading off to the kitchen for seconds. All of this was just for you, and everyone pitched in to help make it a reality. Your heart swelled as you bit into the food. Visions of home—your human world home—filled your mind, bittersweet settling into your heart. That feeling quickly morphed into delight and amusement as you watched Lucifer and Satan struggle with the foreign food. Asmo helped Satan get the hang of it (was Satan blushing?) and Diavolo helped Lucifer, though you could tell Lucifer would have preferred if Diavolo not hand feed the food to him. Mammon fumbled around with the food a little, only for Levi and Belphie to laugh at his expense. Even Luke had to help Simeon eat; he didn’t seem to understand the correct way to consume this particular dish.

This was shaping up to be the best birthday you could ever experience in the Devildom.


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's, uh, the same as the first. Like I said, I have no idea how AO3 works...

Once everyone finished their dinner and dessert (courtesy of Luke; he tried his hand at several human world treats and excelled), Diavolo played one of his various records on a gramophone. Despite its small appearance, the music comfortably filled the room. The tracks were incredibly pleasant; the perfect accompaniment for the intimate setting provided for you. Diavolo was dancing with Lucifer, both of their faces pink with joy and embarrassment respectively. Simeon was trying to teach Luke how to dance, and for the first time that you’ve seen, Luke didn’t seem to mind Simeon treating him like the age he appeared to be. Solomon and Barbatos were having a conversation about demons and pacts and such, which did sound a little unnerving when you caught bits and snippets of their conversation, but what was the harm? It was only Solomon the Wise who had pacts with 72 demons and Barbatos, the demon with the power to see into and manipulate time. Most of your attention wasn’t focused on them, anyway; Satan was telling you about the time Levi released a lethal sea monster that wreaked havoc on the human world a few years back while Levi was feverishly correcting Satan on some of the more trivial details about the story. Beel was seated next to him, munching on what had to be his 42nd dish of the entree. Belphie was dozing off on Beel’s shoulder.

“So, would you say it was...irresponsibility that led to the outcome?” Satan questioned Levi with a raised eyebrow, taking a generous sip of Demonus. It was nice seeing him and everyone else so loose and having fun.

“Lotan is just hard to control! I wanted to show everyone how cool it was, but my power level was too low to get it to listen to me...” Levi explained, a dejected look on his face. He seemed to have been fond of the monster.

“Didn’t Lucifer ban you from buying anything anime, manga, or video-game related for six months?” Belphie recalled through his sleep.

“It was absolute torture!” Levi lamented. He fell back melodramatically in his chair as if the experience still haunted him. You giggled a little along with Satan.

The track on the record changed to a song that had a slower tempo and a softer melody than the others. Luke’s feet were now on Simeon’s shoes and they both were grinning widely. Diavolo and Lucifer faltered for a moment when the song started only for Lucifer to pull away for some “fresh air,” marooning Diavolo on the dance floor. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Mammon tense up once the song started.

“Oh [Y/N]~” you heard Asmo’s sing-song voice call from across the table. He was seated next to Mammon, whose cheeks grew red. “Can you come over here, please?”

Since Asmo was particularly fond of you, you knew he wouldn’t want to do anything to harm you. He actually helped you out most of the time (like how he did your hair and make-up for this party) and seized the right opportunities to shower you with compliments; something the other six brothers didn’t do often. You two were slow to become friends, but still formed a tight, inseparable bond. You excused yourself from the conversation with Satan and Levi and went up to Asmo. He beamed at you whereas Mammon strained not to meet your eyes. You asked Asmo what he wanted.

“Well, Mammon has something he wants to ask you,” he said, patting Mammon’s shoulder.

“Y-you’re gonna have ME ask [them]?” Mammon stammered through his fluster.

The sigh Asmo released was dense with disappointment. “Yes, Mammon...I am.”

“B-but—“

“Mammon, there are some things in life—CRUCIAL things—that you must do on your own. You have to grow up eventually.”

Giving his older brother another empathetic pat on the shoulder and not enough time to protest, Asmo rose from his seat and sauntered to where Satan, Levi, and Beel were sitting. He winked at you again as he took his seat; it was a little too mischievous. You didn’t know whether to be alarmed or amused.

You turned your attention to Mammon, who finally stood from his chair. His eyes were glued to the ground. You could see a faint golden aura floating around his demon form.

“H-hey, [Y/N],” he began with deeply flushed cheeks, “w-would you, uh, I-I mean, d-do you want t-to...dance with me?”

He said that last part quietly, but you caught on to the words, all the breath vanishing from your lungs. You remembered how he wanted to ask you to dance at the retreat oh so long ago, but Lucifer stole your away before he had a chance to get the words out. Although he was fumbling with his words exactly like back then, he still mustered the courage to ask you again. You found the action incredibly endearing and very sweet. Plus, it’s Mammon. Yeah, he’s a little irresponsible and arrogant and a bit too oblivious, but you knew he had a sweet, caring side to him (making him a near perfect tsundere). In other words, he was the lovable idiot you may or may not have caught feelings for during your stay in the Devildom.

You told him you would be delighted to have the opportunity to share this dance with THE Great Mammon, attempting to lighten the mood and quell your pounding heart. His eyes finally met yours and you watched as they slowly began to glimmer.

“R-really?” Mammon said. “I-I actually wasn’t expecting ya to say yes...”

Steeling your nerves and hoping your palms weren’t clammy, you reminded Mammon that the song won’t wait for him to lead you to the dance floor and offered your hand. He muttered a “oh, right...” as he gingerly took it. You couldn’t tell if he was being gentle out of courtesy or apprehension, but appreciated his thoughtfulness nevertheless. Once you two were situated on the dance floor, you both paused awkwardly.

“D-do ya know how to dance...?” Mammon asked you.

You told him you kind of did, but you couldn’t dance very well.

“M-me either, to be perfectly honest with ya. Uh, I think one hand goes...here?”

He lightly slid a hand onto the small of your back, causing you to tense up a little. You haven’t danced with a lot of people back in the human world, let alone ones you were interested in. The touch was alien, yet it somehow felt...just right. You told him you believed he was correct as you rested a hand on his shoulder.

“R-right, that hand stays there,” he confirmed. You swore the golden aura was glowing brighter. “And then our hands go like...this?”

He interlaced his fingers with yours, outstretching your arms. You were surprised to feel that he wasn’t squeezing your hand at all; he was doing the complete opposite, actually. His placements were so tactful, so precise, so un-Mammon like...was this the same demon who always boasted about being your “first”? You could feel the hand on your back tremble ever so slightly.

“Y-you’d think after a m-millennia or two of existence that I’d be better at this, heh,” you heard him mutter to no one in particular.

You could feel the apprehension through his fingers; he was very nervous about dancing with you. He was thinking way too much in order to ensure that every move he made was absolutely perfect. Your heart began to sting (in junction with its already racing state) once you understood and you could feel your cheeks heating up. Suddenly a little too aware of his warm hand cradling your own, you reassured Mammon that he was doing great and began swaying.

“A-am I?” Mammon asked hopefully, his face filled with pure shock.

You told him that of course he was, smiling at how adorable he was being. This was a side of Mammon that he rarely showed, and you absolutely loved it. You absolutely loved...

You shook the thought from your mind. You didn’t need another thing turning your face into an oven. Mammon spun you around.

“H-hey, this is pretty fun,” he said, a faint smile trailing his lips. You could tell that he was beginning to loosen up. His hands stopped trembling. Was his aura glowing even MORE brilliantly?

He spun you around again, the smile now wide on his face. When you both began swaying again, he started giggling, which was infectious. You couldn’t remember ever seeing Mammon so happy before, so the entire sight made your heart swell. Your nerves may have been off the charts, but being with Mammon like this made it all worth it.

“So, how are ya enjoying your spectacular dance with The Great Mammon?” he tried, raising an eyebrow playfully.

You laughed at his comment and said that you were enjoying it quite well, thanking him for granting you such a special opportunity.

He returned your laugh, leaning in closer; a bold move for someone like him to make. Despite how taken aback you were by the action and your bursting heart, you welcomed the gesture. You could tell that he was definitely seizing the moment with his newfound confidence, and it was pretty cool to see him confident for once in his insanely long life.

“I’d always do the best for you, my treasure,” he stated in a low voice.

You knit your eyebrows. ‘ _My treasure?’_ You’ve never heard him call you that and expressed your slight confusion to him.

“Well, you’re somethin’ sorta precious to me, so I consider ya my treasure,” he explained. “Is...that okay?”

You gasped, not expecting such a heartfelt response. You never considered Mammon’s feelings toward you, so after he lay it all out in the open, you were speechless. He...cherished you. Dearly, in fact. Maybe all the talk about being your “first” and him being overprotective of you were red flags, but it didn’t feel as serious as this moment did. With the realization of his feelings weighing on you, butterflies swarmed vehemently in your stomach.

You told him it was more than okay and that he was sorta precious to you, too.

His face grew red for the umpteenth time that night. “Y-ya don’t say...”

He dipped you carefully (and rather artfully, too; apparently he was a pretty good dancer when he had the right mindset). When he brought you back up, you both paused briefly, taking a moment to stare into each other’s eyes. You’ve always found his deep blue-gold eyes mesmerizing, but, right then, they were laden with a fuzzy warmth so comforting that it made you feel fuzzy and warm, too. Not to say that you never felt like that around him, but this time it was different. It felt more...significant, somehow, in a way you couldn’t pinpoint yet. But once he cracked his usual, chaotic smile, you both laughed jovially with each other, cheeks flushed due to intense joy, embarrassment, and every other feeling drifting through the air. You couldn’t help it; you were having so much fun, and so was he. The two of you were just all smiles, especially because you had reciprocated feelings for each other. In that moment, there was no one else that you would rather dance with. No one else you’d rather share such a precious moment with.

Then, something weird happened.

It all seemed to go down in slow motion. The golden aura that had been around Mammon since he asked you to dance flashed brightly behind him. He froze in place, clearly petrified. The aura dissipated peacefully. He suddenly squeezed your hand, which you assumed was out of fear. You heard the click of a phone camera go off in the background. A heavy silence permeated throughout the room for the next few seconds, feeling like a couple of short, agonizing eternities. Behind him, you could see everyone staring at you with dropped jaws. Dread slinked up your spine. What just happened...?

“Mammon...” Beel breathed.

“Holy crap...” Levi whispered from behind his phone.

Peering over Mammon’s shoulder, you asked everyone to tell you what exactly happened. Satan and Asmo gave each other a nervous glance, Levi immediately went to his phone, and everyone else looked around the room anxiously. The dread continued to slither it’s way up your spine. Mammon hadn’t moved from his spot.

“[Y/N], you may want to look behind you...” Satan suggested.

Breaking free from Mammon’s grasp, you turned around. Your stomach dropped to the floor. You covered your mouth with trembling hands, feeling as though you would faint. Dread completely manifested your heart now. Only one sight would elicit such adverse reactions from everyone:

Grimm.

A lot of Grimm.

With quivering fingertips, you plucked a coin from one of the monumentous piles in order to see if it was real. There was no way it could be, right? ALL of this Grimm couldn’t be real. But, sure enough, the coin was solid and cold in your palm. Your mind reeled. Did...did Mammon DO this? How could he even fabricate such large quantities of Grimm? Suddenly, your racing mind snagged on the answer. You remembered one of the things Satan told you when you first arrived at RAD: if Mammon was extremely fond of someone, they’d find themselves in an unexpected flourish of wealth. Well, this certainly was unexpected, judging by everyone else’s reactions. But when Satan told you that, you never thought it would happen like THIS. The amount of Grimm before your eyes was overwhelming; you could barely even fathom how much Grimm was there. Then, another thought dawned on you, a thought that was terrifying enough to make you feel as if you were falling off a cliff.

Mammon liked you more than you initially thought. A LOT more.

“Mammon, you haven’t done that in at _LEAST_ a century,” you heard Asmo’s bewildered voice point out.

You spun around to find that Mammon backed away from you, his face a shade of red that you didn’t know existed. He still looked purely petrified, as if he had no idea what exactly he just did, but knew it couldn’t be good.

“No no, it’s definitely been longer than that,” Belphie corrected quietly, now wide awake. “Like, MUCH longer than that.”

“Wait,” Beel started, his eyes flickering between you and his brother, “if he did that, then doesn’t that mean he—“

Beel cut himself short, seemingly having found his answer. Mammon’s eyes went wide. He glanced at you briefly, and a jolt went through your soul. He looked guilty—incredibly guilty—but you didn’t know why. Then, without a word, he fled the scene, pushing past Lucifer to get outside. Lucifer just returned from out there and stopped in his tracks when he saw the insurmountable piles of Grimm in front of you. Your heart was painfully racing as a whirlwind ravaged your mind. Why did Mammon look so guilty? Was he ashamed of his feelings for you? What didn’t you know...? That last question really got to you; your gut was telling you that this was something very, VERY serious and probably not entirely good. Realizing that, you started feeling utterly paralyzed, stuck between running after Mammon or running away yourself.

Your brain then conjured up that warm, fuzzy feeling you had with Mammon just a few moments before. You also remembered how happy he looked dancing with you, the toast he gave right before dinner, and nearly every other moment you had with him up to when he was clumsily bandaging your hand toward the start of your journey in the Devildom. Back then, he told you he had to be the one to save you when you were in danger; it would be him, or no one else. That moment was actually the most forward he had ever been with you prior to tonight. Mammon had always cared for you and while you made an effort to return his affection, you never really expressed it as strongly as he did. The truth was: you loved Mammon. You loved him from the first time you heard his voice over your D.D.D. He always held a special place in your heart, and he always will. That much was certain. You couldn’t falter when he needed you the most. If it came down to it, you knew you’d have to be the one to save him; you’d have to be the ONLY one to save him because something told you that you were the only one who could. You now knew exactly what you needed to do.

Without any hesitation, you sprinted after him.


	3. Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The (perhaps thrilling) conclusion! If you got this far, then wow. Just...wow. This was a long one, and I'm beyond grateful that you got to this point. Thank you so much for reading. I wish you all the very best.

Once outside, you stopped yourself short. You weren’t entirely sure where Mammon ran off to since there were a lot of possibilities. He could’ve been in the House of Lamentation, confiding in Goldie in his room. He could’ve been literally anywhere in town, looking for something to buy or people to scam (the latter wasn’t as likely, but it’s Mammon, so it’s best to consider all options). Hell, he could’ve run off to RAD looking for something valuable to steal to get his mind off of things. Why couldn’t you fall for someone less troublesome? You took a deep breath and looked at the night sky, trying to determine the best course of action. You knew you were on limited time since Mammon was a bit too sensitive for his own good, so you had to find him fast. The stars above winked back at you. Suddenly, you got an idea.

You weaved your way through the dense forest that surrounded the vast area behind the demon lord’s castle, trying to remember the way. You didn’t come to this area very often, but have visited there a couple times. You were hoping with everything in your being that you were going the right way. You hoped that Mammon was actually there. And, more than anything, you hoped that he was okay.

You pushed aside one last branch to reveal the clearing you had in mind, some tension releasing from your shoulders. Some ways away from the castle, there was a clearing that gave way to a sizable lake. The lake wasn’t massive, but it was big enough that a boat was docked on the side if anyone wanted to spend time lazily floating through the waters. Speaking of, the water shimmered a bold cerulean, even when the stars and moon reigned in the sky. The lake actually appeared translucent at this time of night; it was an ensorcelling sight to say the least. But you were beyond relieved to see a head of white hair shimmering under the stars.

Mammon was seated on the ground next to the water, staring intently at it. His hand was half-submerged in the cerulean lake, gliding methodically through its surface. The sound his fingers made was the only thing filling the soft silence of the area. You had never seen him so quiet or so focused. It was enough to amplify your already intense apprehensions.

More nervous than ever, you called out to him, wringing your hands to quell your nerves. His hand stopped in the water. He turned his head to face you, displaying blatant surprise. His face was wet and shiny under the moonlight and his hair was damp; he must have splashed water on his face.

“[Y-Y/N], ya found me...” he said softly, his cheeks reddening.

You were very grateful that you found him here and that he was (physically) okay, but didn’t understand WHY he was here out of everywhere he could’ve gone. When you asked, he turned his attention to the ground, the stars twinkling innocently in his eyes.

“Figured it’d be a good place to clear my head. Guess I was right.”

You nodded, noticing how it was not a very Mammon-like response (how often does he “clear his head,” anyway?). You asked if he was doing okay, sitting next to him on the grass. He timidly moved away from you.

“Y-ya shouldn’t be worryin’ about me,” he responded, not making eye contact with you. You got a painful rush of dejá vú.

“I...I basically ditched ya out there without explainin’ a thing. And here ya are, askin’ if _I’m_ okay. Like I...like I matter...”

He sighed, sniffling. You’ve never heard Mammon talk about himself like that. Slowly yet surely, your heart began breaking. What exactly was going on inside this guy’s head?

“[Y/N], why’re you so nice to me?” he asked suddenly. You gasped, not expecting him to ask something like that. He brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, his head still turned away from yours.

“All my brothers, all those witches, everyone I meet...they never miss a chance to call me a ‘scumbag’ or ‘useless,’” he continued, his voice cracking here and there. “I always denied it on the outside, but that image really stuck in my mind. I wasn’t entirely aware of it until ya kept bein’ too nice to me. After hangin’ around you, I really started thinkin’ and believin’ that I was an awful demon. I mean, everythin’ confirms it; I weigh everyone down, I spend too much Grimm, I’m too lazy for my own good, I deceive everyone I meet. There ain’t a good thing about me, so...why...?”

His nails dug into his arms as you heard him sniffle again. He was trying to hide his tears from you. If your heart wasn’t shattered before, it was now. This Mammon was completely different than the Mammon you were used to; a Mammon who thoroughly believed he was the best demon on the planet and made damn sure everyone in existence got the message. That Mammon was arrogant, reckless, fun-loving. But this Mammon wasn’t that at all. This Mammon was insecure, caught up in the idea of his own worthlessness as well as believing he only served as a detriment to everyone around him. This Mammon absorbed all the awful things everyone said about him and took it to heart. The only light in his life was the sheen of Grimm, but even that was fleeting and hollow. Deep in your gut, you desperately wanted to be his light. Not one that was fleeting and hollow, but bright and hopeful. He truly deserved it, and although you questioned your ability to be that for him rather briefly, you knew it was worth a try. _HE_ was worth a try.

You put a hand on his cold shoulder and told him that you were nice to him because he wholeheartedly deserved it. You felt his muscles tense, then relax, under your gentle touch.

“I don’t, though,” he responded shakily. “Especially not from someone like you. I ditched ya on your birthday. I nearly get ya killed by my brothers. Hell, I’ve even tried stealin’ from ya a few times. I always take from ya and don’t even think o’ doin’ anything for ya in return. None of that is deserving of kindness.”

You told him that he really wasn’t as bad as he was trying to make himself out to be, adding that he of course deserved all the kindness and affection that would ever come his way.

“All of that would be wasted on someone like me, I guarantee ya. Everyone’d agree with that. Any care or affection that’s given to me is taken back, ‘cause they regret ever even considerin’ givin’ it to me. They...they ALWAYS regret it, ‘cause I really am just a waste...”

You could feel everything in him depress under heavy sorrow. You nearly did yourself, but your heart felt otherwise. Your feelings for him crescendoed, not buckling under the intense melancholy. You took his hand in yours, promising that you wouldn’t regret anything about him. Not the time you spent with him. Not the things you did with him. Not the way you felt about him. You assured him that all of those things would never be a regret or a waste because he was something all too precious to you. He was your treasure. Nothing in this universe would change that.

He lifted his head to look at you, completely stupefied. His cheeks and his nose were deep crimson. His wide, kaleidoscopic eyes paused momentarily, allowing your confession to sink in. Once it did, they swam with shimmering tears that were both sorrowful and joyous. Biting his bottom lip, he pulled you into a tight embrace, crying freely now. His arms felt secure, albeit shaky, around you: a gesture of love and despair. With your own eyes watering, you wrapped your arms around his torso, being wary of his wings.

“I-I’m so sorry,” he whispered unevenly, guilt consuming his voice. “I’m sorry for everything. It’s just s-so easy for me to f-fall for someone that I get so scared every time it happens.”

You rubbed his back, saying that it was just fine and everything was okay. He loosened his grip on you.

“I-I’m so used to being rejected and tricked and insulted that I d-deny my own feelings. I-I deny my own _happiness_. When all that Grimm appeared, I was terrified that I’d end up hurtin’ myself again, but I only hurt you.”

He pulled back, resting his hands on your waist and staring into your eyes. He was still crying quite a bit, but you saw some solace in them.

“I won’t let my fear control me. Not if it means I’ll hurt ya again. You’re my treasure, and I gotta protect somethin’ so special.”

You smiled warmly at him, overjoyed that he was finally coming to terms with himself; something that was long overdue. You put a reassuring hand on his arm and told him you were proud of him. He chuckled at your statement and took both of your hands in his. He stared down at your conjoined fingers.

“I...” he began bashfully after a few seconds of silence. He turned his gaze to the luminescent lake as the blush spread further across his face. You tried to peer at his expression to get a glimpse at what else he was thinking, but to no avail. Believing he left the thought unfinished, your heart raced with anticipation.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as if to muster enough strength to proceed with his next actions. He then pulled your hands forward and kissed you. Although it was light, your lack of experience with the action made your heart jump, not to mention how you weren’t expecting him to do that. Regardless, you welcomed the gesture, not hesitating to kiss him back. Besides, you’ve been wanting to do that for a while, anyway.

When your lips parted, he rested his forehead against yours. His thumbs rubbed your knuckles. You got a feeling that he was doing it to soothe himself more than anything else.

“What would you do if I say that I...that I love you?” he rasped, his voice nothing more than a delicate whisper. You gasped, joy and terror wrestling in your chest for attention. Right then, you really didn’t know WHAT to say; all your thoughts and words were stuck in your mind, caught in your throat. Amidst all the conflicting feelings and reeling mind, an undeniable, triumphant warmth broke through and calmed your senses. It was comforting and fuzzy, similar to the warmth you felt while dancing with Mammon. It gave you all the courage and determination to say those fateful three words back to him.

A victorious smile gradually brightened his face. He leaned in to kiss you again and again and again, each kiss deeper than the last. Affection ran deep within you both, apparently. You had been craving this, but because Mammon was Mammon and you were...you, it never came to be. Until now, that is.

“Thanks,” he said after your lips parted again. His smile warmed your heart.

“Thanks for bein’ here. For findin’ me. For not givin’ up on me. I guess I can’t give up on myself anymore, either.”

His expression was so sweetly compassionate that you thought you’d get a cavity by simply relishing in it. For the first time, he was finally content, finally at peace. His fingers were cold between yours, but his presence wasn’t anywhere close to that. Holding back more tears as your chest began feeling numb with affection, you told him that he was welcome and that he could request your services anytime.

He laughed again. “Mind if I make an immediate request?”

He lifted a hand to your cheek, giving you a suggestive look. You could tell he was flirting with you, but this was the first time he was actually successful at it. With your cheeks aflame, you said that of course he could, leaning in for another kiss.

Then, your D.D.D. wailed loudly, jolting both of you back to reality. You looked at your device to see that Asmo was calling you.

“Just when it was gettin’ good,” Mammon muttered disappointedly.

You shared his sentiment as you put Asmo on speaker.

“OH MY GOD ARE YOU OKAY??” Asmo shouted as soon as you accepted the call.

You soothed him by saying you and Mammon were just fine.

Asmo let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness! I was getting so scared! You weren’t anywhere we looked.”

“Asmo was being an unhelpful drama queen, as usual,” Satan commented in the background.

“I’m sorry? If I recall correctly, _you_ were the one who was worried about [Y/N] the most. You hands would NOT stop shaking and you went on about how you wouldn’t know what to do with yourself if your beloved reading buddy were to never return.”

“W-was not!” Satan stammered. You could almost picture his flushed face through the phone. You laughed at their banter.

“[Y/N]’s fine. [They] ain’t hurt or anything,” Mammon said.

“Oh, Mammon, is that you? You didn’t hurt the birthday human, did you?” Asmo asked.

“I just said [they] were fine! And thanks for worryin’ about your brother, jeez...”

“Hey, I was REALLY worried about you, too! You haven’t done that in AGES and I was afraid you were going to have a mental breakdown!”

“I’m not THAT fragile...”

Mammon was blushing too hard for that not to be considered a possibility. He was lucky the phone separated him from his brothers.

“For the record, I wasn’t worried about you at all,” Satan added.

Asmo sighed. “Oh Satan...you’re being just as troublesome as Mammon right now.”

You heard Satan clear his throat.

“Anyway,” Asmo continued, “Lucifer’s yelling at me to tell you guys to come back to the demon lord’s castle immediately. He wants to wrap up the party and calm everyone down.”

“Somehow, Lucifer has found a way to make himself more irritating, so please return soon,” Satan said in a low voice.

You told them you and Mammon were heading back to the castle now.

“Oh, good!” Asmo said, his voice filled with relief. “Make sure you come back safe and sound, okay?”

You said you wouldn’t dream of returning any other way.

“Excellent! And Mammon? You BETTER keep [Y/N] safe, so help me Michael.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” Mammon confirmed, loosely waving a hand in the air.

“Alrighty! I’ll see you soon, love!”

Asmo hung up. You held your D.D.D. and was about to stand up when you saw Mammon’s eyebrows knit together in confusion. You asked him what was wrong.

“D-does he always call ya that?” he asked, not meeting your gaze.

At first, you didn’t understand what he was talking about, but it didn’t take you long to figure out what had him concerned. You assured him that your relationship with Asmo was completely platonic.

“R-right, right,” he muttered.

You smiled mischievously as you asked him if he was jealous.

“Maybe a little...” he said to himself before realizing what he just said.

“I mean, of course I’m not! The Great Mammon doesn’t have time to get jealous of a human.”

He puffed out his chest in an effort to exude confidence, but you easily saw through his ploy. You only laughed at him, causing his chest to deflate.

“I guess there’s no foolin’ you,” he said dejectedly and stood up. He offered his hand to you, his expression becoming soft.

“I don’t know what’ll happen next, but I know I’ll be fine as long as I'm with you.”

You were at a loss for words, not just because of Mammon’s sweet comment or his achingly sincere smile, but because of the entire weight of the night. Simultaneously, it felt as though so much had happened, and not much at all. In its simplest form, that night, you had a family dinner, had mountains of Grimm appear behind you, and Mammon outright confess his love for you. When you thought about it more, though, there was so much that happened that night that was difficult to unpack and truly internalize. It really felt like a dream so ephemeral that it was hard to believe your mind could conjure it up. But it was more than a dream; it was a palpable reality. Although the details would come to you in reminiscent waves in the future, there was one undeniable detail that would stay with you from that day onward.

You firmly gripped his hand and stood up, earnestly telling him that you would never want to be anywhere else. He brought his hands to his lips and kissed it, the twilight making him all the more divine.

“Happy birthday, my treasure.”

_**~FIN~** _


End file.
